Make room for docs and data with extra storage or cloud magic

When your Mac’s startup drive (called Macintosh HD by default, even if it’s an SSD) runs out of room, don’t worry, there are other places where you can store your files. Even if you can’t upgrade internally, you can plug in external drives. Or you can keep more files in the cloud, which will probably mean upgrading your iCloud storage plan to more than just the basic 5GB. To do so, go to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud, click Manage at the bottom right, then Buy More Storage (or Change Storage Plan). 200GB is a good option for many people at £2.49 per month.

iCloud Photos keeps all your pics in the cloud, and optionally frees space on your Mac.

1 Drive harder

iCloud Drive is a private online storage space that’s synced to your Mac and other devices on your Apple ID. You can create folders in it and save, copy or move files to it in apps and the Finder like a physical drive. On iPhones and iPads, only recently used iCloud Drive  files are kept on the device; usually, they’re accessed from the cloud. But on your Mac, when iCloud Drive is ticked in System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud, a local copy of everything is maintained on your startup drive. If it takes up too much space, tick Optimise Mac Storage, below. When your drive is near full,  macOS will remove local copies, though all files are still listed to access from the cloud. You can save even more space on your Mac by moving more work into iCloud Drive, but remember you may not be able to open your files if you don’t have an internet connection.